QUILTING LINDABEE TAGGED ME!!! MAY 16, 2008

OH MY GOSH, I HAVE BEEN TAGGED BY LINDABEE.

THE RULES OF THE GAME GET POSTED AT THE BEGINNING. EACH PLAYER ANSWERS THE QUESTIONS ABOUT THEMSELVES. AT THE END OF THE POST, THE PLAYER THEN TAGS 5-6 PEOPLE AND POSTS THEIR NAMES, THEN GOES TO THEIR BLOGS AND LEAVES A COMMENT, LETTING THEM KNOW THEY'VE BEEN TAGGED AND ASKING THEM TO READ YOUR BLOG. LET THE PERSON WHO TAGGED YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'VE POSTED YOUR ANSWER.

OKAY, I'LL PLAY...

1. WHAT WAS I DOING 10 YEARS AGO? 10 YEARS AGO, I WAS 39 ABOUT TO TURN THE BIG 40, SO...MY YOUNGEST WAS 4 AND WAS GOING TO BE IN KINDERGARTEN IN THE FALL, SO...NOW, BACK 10 YEARS AGO, "THE LITTLE MERMAID" WAS A BIG TIME MOVIE AROUND HERE, SO TOOK ALL THREE OF MY KIDS TO BUY MY YOUNGEST A SALT-WATER FISH, LIKE "FLOUNDER" IN THE MOVIE, (THIS IS A TRUE STORY), WELL, I NEVER BOUGHT THE FISH, BUT I DID BUY A 3 MONTH OLD BLACK LAB/MIX PUPPY. ONCE WE SAW THE PUPPIES, THE IDEA OF PURCHASING A FISH KINDA FLEW OUT THE WINDOW. THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE BEST 10 YEARS WITH MY BUDDY, "OREO"! I WAS ALSO QUILTING AND CROSS-STITCHING AND BUSY WITH A SON WHO PLAYED HOCKEY AND OLDEST DAUGHTER JUST MADE THE CHEERLEADING TEAM IN JUNIOR HIGH. SO MY MAIN JOB BACK THEN WAS THAT OF A TAXI. (I REALLY DO MISS THOSE DAYS...NOW 2 OF THE 3 KIDS DRIVE!)

2. WHAT ARE 5 THINGS ON MY TO-DO LIST FOR TODAY (NOT IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER): WORK ON MY MISSOURI DAISY BLOCKS, DO SOME HAND APPLIQUE ON MY SUE SPARGO HOUSE QUILT, THROW LAUNDRY INTO DRYER, MAKE DINNER AND SHAVE MY LEGS.

3. SNACKS I ENJOY: ROLOS ..REALLY ANYTHING CHOCOLATE/W/CARMEL CANDIES, POTATOE CHIPS (HAVE TO BE THE WAVY KIND, NOT BARBEQUE), HOT CARMEL SUNDIE, SPINACH/ARTICOKE DIP AND I AM ALWAYS CHEWING WRIGLEYS SPEARMINT GUM!! HAVE TO HAVE MY GUM!! OH AND THE BEST... ARE YOU READY...ENGLISH BREAKFAST TEA (FROM PANERA) WITH MARSHMELLOWS (THE BIG ONES ON TOP)!!!!

4. THINGS I WOULD DO IF I WERE A BILLIONAIRE: 1ST PAY OFF "ALL" MY BILLS, 2ND PAY OFF ALL STUDENT LOANS FOR COLLEGE AGE KIDS OF MINE (2), TRAVEL SOMEWHERE WARM AND THEN BUY A HOME THERE SO I COULD GO THERE WHEN IT GETS REALLY COLD AND YUCKY HERE, HIRE A FULL TIME MAID/COOK (LOVE THAT ONE) AND BUY MYSELF A "GEORGE".

5. PEEPS I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT: QUILTING IS STILL MY PASSION, SISTER'S CHOICE.TYPEPAD, AUNTIE'S QUAINT QUILTS BLOGSPOT, STELLA BELLA QUILTS, THE QUILTING BOOKLADY.

PLEASE DO NOT FEEL THAT YOU HAVE TO PLAY, IT IS JUST FOR FUN!

SPRING IS HERE AT LAST!!!!!

MAY 13, 2008

YES, IT IS TRUE, FLOWERS AND BUSHES ARE FINALLY BLOOMIN!!! I TRIED TO CAPTURE THE COLORS THAT ARE BLOOMING BUT A CAMERA JUST CAN'T QUITE MAKE THE COLORS THAT GOD HAS MADE! MY HOSTA'S ARE BEGINNING TO GET TALLER AND MY YELLOW PEONIES ARE BEGINNING TO SHOW THEIR COLORS, AND THE AZAELEAS, WOW, IS ALL I CAN SAY...

HAVEN'T BEEN POSTING MUCH LATELY AS I KINDA BEEN IN A "FUNK" AROUND HERE. LOSING MY 4 LEGGED PAL, "OREO", IS HARDER THAN I THOUGHT. IF YOU OWN A PET OR HAVE LOST A PET YOU KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT. AND THEN THE NEW PUPPY, "COOPER" IS IN PUPPY "BOOT CAMP" FOR TWO WEEKS AS HE HAS NO MANNERS WHATSOEVER, AND IS GROWLING AND BARKING AND, WELL, EVERYTHING THAT GOES ALONG WITH A NEW PUPPY. SO I AM NOW MISSING HIM...ONE WEEK DOWN, ONE TO GO...HE IS AT AN ACTUAL TRAINING CAMP FOR PUPPIES AND I WON'T EVEN TELL YOU THE COST, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR 35 YEARS AND TRAIN POLICE CANINE DOGS, SO, HUBBY BROUGHT HIM THERE BECAUSE HE WAS GROWLING AND WENT AFTER OUR 15 YR OLD TWICE. SO FAR, HE IS DOING GOOD, BUT HE IS STILL ACTING VERY AGRESSIVE, SO THEY HAVE THEIR WORK CUT OUT FOR THEM. (PLEASE KEEP HIM IN YOUR PRAYERS!?!?!?)

NOW TO THE QUILTING PART OF MY LIFE...AM WORKING ON THIS BLOCK CALLED "MISSOURI STAR"- IT WAS IN ONE OF MY PREVIOUS POSTS AND AM HAVING THE HARDEST TIME WITH PIECING IT...IT HAS Y-SEAMS. THAT PART IS OK, IT IS WHEN I ADD THE BACKGROUND (SQUARES AND TRIANGLES) THAT THE BLOCK DOES NOT END UP SQUARE...SO STARTED ALLLLLL OVER AND WILL PIECE THAT THIS AFTERNOON. I REALLY WANT TO MAKE THIS QUILT, AS I AM USING ALL 30'S FABRICS AND LOVE THE ANTIQUE LOOK OF IT, SO WILL POST MY PROGRESS.

I ALSO, WAS AT MY LQS AND FOUND SOME REALLY BEAUTIFUL CIVIL WAR FABRIC. I HAVE A PATTERN(S) FOR SOME JO MORTON BLOCKS, SO I ALSO WANT TO GET BUSY DOING SOME OF THOSE BLOCKS.

THEN, IT IS ON TO SPRING CLEANING AROUND HERE...DO YOU HEAR YOUR CLOSETS CALLING YOU, WELL, I DO!!! NEED TO BRING THE SUMMER UP FROM BASEMENT AND WINTER DOWN TO BASEMENT, THEN ADD THREE KID CLOSETS AND HUBBIES AND I WILL BE UP TO MY ELBOWS IN PLASTIC BINS...OH, I LOVE SPRING, BUT HATE THOSE CLOSETS!!!! SO BETTER GET A MOVE ON HERE...

HAPPY QUILTING,

HUGS,

MARY

MAY 5TH - HAPPY BIRTHDAY 15 YR OLD

MY 15-YR OLD'S BIRTHDAY WAS TODAY, SNAPPED THIS PICTURE WHEN SHE CAME IN FROM SCHOOL!!! THEY DRESSED HER UP AND HER LOCKER...OH HIGH SCHOOL...THE MEMORIES!!!

TOOK SOME MORE PICS OF "COOPER"......CAUGHT SOME REALLY CUTE ONES OF HIM AND MY 18 YR OLD... NOT GETTING TOO MUCH SEWING DONE, THIS PUPPY IS KEEPING ME RATHER BUSY, LIFE AROUND HERE IS A LITTLE CHAOTIC, BUT FUN!

MISSOURI DAISY

SAW THIS BLOCK IN THE AUSTRALIAN PATCHWORK AND QUILTING MAGAZINE AND THOUGHT I WOULD TRY TO CONSTRUCT ONE BLOCK AND SEE HOW IT LOOKED. IT HAS BEEN A FUN BLOCK TO CONSTRUCT. I AM ONLY HALF WAY DONE, BUT THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE A PHOTO OF IT SO FAR. I USUALLY DON'T LIKE Y-SEAMS, AND HAVEN'T DONE THEM IN AWHILE, BUT I JUST LOVE THE LOOK OF THIS QUILT, SO TRIED.

THE NEXT STEP IS TO ADD THE SQUARES AND TRIANGLES TO FORM THE BLOCK. HERE IS WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE WHEN BLOCK IS STITCHED TOGETHER.














WILL POST MORE BLOCKS AS I GET THEM DONE.

ALSO, HERE IS A PICTURE OF THE "NEW" MEMBER OF OUR FAMILY. HIS NAME IS "COOPER" AND IS A 12-WEEK OLD YELLOW LAB. HE REMINDS ME OF THE COTTONELLE COMMERCIAL...HE IS SCARED OF STAIRS, BUT LOVES HIS NEW BED AND WE ARE COMPLETELY TRILLED TO HAVE HIM HOME. OUR HOUSE WAS JUST TOO QUIET WITHOUT "OREO", SO HAD TO FILL IT WITH ANOTHER LAB!!

I STILL MISS MY "OREO" BUT I THINK HE WOULD BE PRETTY HAPPY WITH "COOPER"!

HUGS,

MARY

APRIL 24, 2008 +++OREO+++

THIS POST IS NOT ABOUT QUILTING/SEWING BUT MORE ABOUT A SPECIAL FRIEND WHO I LOST TODAY. HIS NAME IS OREO AND HE IS A LAB/MIX. HE WAS THE BESTEST FRIEND I COULD EVER HAVE WISHED FOR, HE WAS MY DOG.

I BOUGHT OREO WHEN HE WAS 2 YEARS OLD FROM A PUPPY STORE AT THE MALL. I HAD NEVER OWNED A PET BEFORE, SO WAS VERY NEW TO THE WHOLE PUPPY PROCESS. AT THE TIME, 10 YEARS AGO, MY THREE KIDS WERE OFF ON SPRING BREAK AND WE DECIDED (THIS IS TRUE) TO BUY ONE OF THOSE EXOTIC FISHES BECAUSE MY YOUNGEST EMILY WAS ENTRALLED BY THE MOVIE, "THE LITTLE MERMAID" AND WANTED A FISH THAT LOOKED LIKE "FLOUNDER" FROM THE MOVIE. SO IN WE WENT, MYSELF AND KIDS, BUT YOU HAD TO WALK PAST THE PUPPIES TO GET TO THE FISH...WE NEVER MADE IT BY THE PUPPIES! THERE WAS ONE LITTLE BLACK PUPPY WITH THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BROWN EYES THAT JUST SAT AND LOOKED AT THE 4 OF US WITH THE SADDEST EXPRESSION, SAYING WITH THOSE EYES, "PLEASE TAKE ME". AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE DID! WE BOUGHT HIM ON THE SPOT! THEN, I CALLED MY HUSBAND ON THE WAY HOME AND SAID, WELL, WE DIDN'T GET THE FISH, BUT WE GOT A PUPPY!!

OREO WAS NOT A PURE BREED, HE FLUNKED TWICE OBEDIENCE SCHOOL, BUT HE HAD A HEART THAT WAS MADE OUT OF GOLD AND KINDNESS. HE NEVER ONCE SNAPPED AT ANYONE AND WAS JUST SOOOO HAPPY TO BE AMOUNG KIDS WHO (IN THE BEGINNING) DOTTED ON HIM! THEY SOON TIRED OF THEIR NEW TOY, BUT I NEVER DID. HE WAS AMAZING TO ME. HE WAS MY PAL AND WHEN EVERYONE WENT TO SCHOOL, IT WAS JUST OREO AND ME. HE WAS MY SHADOW, MY TRUE BUDDY, MY LOVE! I LOVED OREO LIKE I DID ONE OF MY KIDS. HE BECAME PART OF MY FAMILY SO FAST.

A WEEK AGO HE STARTED GRADUALLY NOT EATING AND THEN ON LAST FRIDAY, URINATED BLOOD. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK HIM TO THE VET WHERE THEY PERFORMED BLOOD TESTS AND TOLD ME HE WAS EXTREMELY ANEMIC AND THAT HE HAD A DISEASE THAT IS SIMILAR TO LUEKEMIA IN HUMANS. THE PROGNOSIS WAS NOT GOOD, BUT THEY REFERRED ME TO AN ANIMAL MEDICAL HOSPITAL ABOUT 20 MILES AWAY, WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK HIM THERE, WHERE WE FOUND OUT THIS DISEASE HAD DAMAGED HIS HEART AND THEY GAVE HIM OXYGEN BUT TOLD US WITH THE RIGHT MEDS, HE MAY HAVE ANOTHER YEAR OR TWO. THERE WAS HOPE, HE CAME HOME ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON, BUT EACH DAY BECAME WEAKER AND WEAKER UNTIL TODAY, AT 2:57 HIS HEART STOPPED BEATING. HIS HEAD WAS IN MY LAP AND HE WAS LOOKING AT ME CRY AND THEN HE JUST STOPPED BREATHING.

THAT'S THE TYPE OF DOG OREO WAS. NEVER WANTING ANYTHING, ONLY YOUR HAPPINESS. ALWAYS WANTING TO PLEASE.

WE WERE SPARRED HAVING TO HAVE HIM PUT TO SLEEP, GOD JUST CALLED HIM AND LIKE THE GREAT DOG HE WAS, HE WENT QUIETLY.

MY HEART IS BROKEN, BUT I KNOW HE IS IN THE BEST PLACE POSSIBLE, WITH GOD AND MY DAD WHO, WHILE HE WAS ALIVE, ALSO LOVED OREO!

I WILL MISS MY PAL, BUT HE WILL ALWAYS BE ALIVE IN MY HEART. YOU SEE, OREO, YOU CAN GO, BUT YOU WILL ALWAYS BE WITH ME...I HOPE YOU KNOW THAT BUDDY.

SECRET SWAPPER IS REVEALED!!!!

TODAY I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO RECEIVE MY SPRING SWAP FROM MY SECRET SWAP SISTER....DEBBIE IN NEW YORK!!!! WHAT BEAUTIFUL "SPRING" THINGS I RECEIVED. COASTERS, T-TOWEL, PINCUSHION AND LOTS MORE!! IT FEELS LIKE CHRISTMAS IN APRIL!!!!

WEATHER HERE IS FINALLY GETTING WARMER, SO AM BACK AT WALKING MY "OREO" AFTER DINNER AND IT FEELS SOOOOO GOOD! MY NEIGHBOR'S DAFFODILS HAVE ERUPTED AND THEIR COLOR IS SO BEAUTIFUL! MY DAY LILIES ARE STARTING TO PEEK OUT OF THE DIRT, SO AM ANXIOUSLY AWAITING THEIR ARRIVAL. ISN'T IT FUNNY THAT LITTLE SURPRISES CAN MAKE YOU SO HAPPY?

SPRING IS SUCH A GREAT TIME WHEN ALL OF NATURE SEEMS TO START OUT WITH A CLEAN SLATE! I WISH HUMANS COULD DO THAT EACH SPRING, WOULDN'T THAT BE SO COOL? JUST WIPE CLEAN ALL THE MISTAKES YOU MADE THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND START NEW. MAYBE I SHOULD TRY THAT...MAYBE THAT IS WHY GOD GAVE US SPRING. TO HAVE NEW OUTLOOKS, SEE PAST PEOPLES IMPERFECTIONS, SEE PAST OUR IMPERFECTIONS, CHANGE BEHAVIOR (LIKE GAINING PATIENCE), OH THAT WOULD BE A GREAT ONE FOR ME! BE KINDER TO ONE ANOTHER, LAUGH MORE, PRAY MORE! APPRECIATE EVERYTHING I HAVE BEEN GIVEN, MORE! MAYBE I WILL MARK MY CALENDAR (AS OF TODAY) TO START "MY" SPRING CLEANING... YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD THING TO DO! AFTER ALL, YOU GOTTA START SOMEWHERE...

LOTS OF HUGS TO EVERYONE WHO READS THIS BLOG....AND A SPECIAL "THANK-YOU" TO DEBBIE IN NY...YOU BRIGHTENED UP MY DAY WITH ALL YOUR "SPRING" SURPRISES!

MARY

SPRING SECRET SWAP WITH PAT SLOAN'S YAHOO GROUP

HI FELLOW BLOGGERS!!

HAPPY FRIDAY! TODAY I FINISHED MY COASTERS TO BE SENT TO MY SPRING SECRET SWAPPER! I ALSO ADDED SOME "SPRINGY" THINGS TO SEND TO MY SECRET LADY! THIS SWAP IS BEING DONE BY PAT SLOAN YAHOO GROUP, AND ONCE WE GOT OUR "SECRET SWAP QUILT SISTER" WE WERE TO MAKE EITHER A T-TOWEL OR COASTERS. SO....I PICKED COASTERS! I HAND AND MACHINE APPLIQUED THESE LITTLE DARLINGS AS MY SWAPPER LOVES FLOWERS. THEN I FOUND IN CRATE & BARREL THESE T-TOWELS, AND WELL, I JUST HAD TO BUY THESE FOR HER. I ALSO FOUND THE BLUE BOX AT MICHAELS AND HAVE BEEN FILLING IT ALL WEEK WITH "SPRING THINGS"!!
OH SOOOO MUCH FUN! I DID ADD SOME CANDY, BUT COULD NOT TAKE A PICTURE OF THAT, AS THEN IT WOULD GIVE IT AWAY.

I WILL POST NEXT WEEK HER FIRST NAME AND WHY I PICKED THE COLOR "BLUE", HINT, HINT AND THE FLOWERS, ANOTHER BIG HINT, HINT.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

HUGS,

MARY

ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO!!!!

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Happy Saturday!! Hubby took Saturday off to spend some quality time with family. Yeah! The two oldest were home from college for weekend and youngest did not have anything planned, Yet, so we took them to the Art Institute!

Because I am "digital" here are some pictures from our day.

The first two are "lovely children in car"... (why are there two pictures? you ask, because Oldest Diva had to take sunglasses off)

Now, back to the road, Oh Wait! We must stop for breakfast...they have to have their Mocha's and Pie, so... here we are at Baker's Square...why are they hitting one another with the menu's? Oh, sooo much fun, did I tell them they were young adults? Oh, I must have fogotten to tell them...Darn! I knew I forgot something to teach them!

Now on to the Art Institute... Here is the front, some inside shots of exhibits, one of my and the girls, and now that we have been "cultured", we are heading home...

They are now screaming for me to put away camera, but they didn't know I was behind them and took this one anyway...

Oh, and I forgot lovely shots of Lake Michigan...

This one I just have to add, before we left I took this picture of a man's backside on a bench. I call it "Butt on Bench" (actually did not know camera was on...and I snapped it, mistakenly), yeah, right?

So stayed tuned for next month's adventure when "Hubby takes Off Work" where we will end up!!

Hugs,

Mary

Opps, Oldest says I never put her on my blog...well, here ya go Sweetie!

MOURNING DOVES

WOW, I just love blogging! I asked a question about these two birds that come every spring and sit on my deck railing or outside my bedroom window, but did not know what kind of bird they were, then Leesha and Jeanne answered me with their names, "MOURNING DOVES"!

They like seeds and on my deck I have two large planters where I plant my flowers in...in fall, I remove all the dead plants, but these two must have found out that there are seeds in there! How Cool is That??? Why do I see them in Spring, because they migrate from late March to May and then they stay for the summer! Now I would have never have know what they were if it weren't for this blog, so THANK YOU, Leesha and Jeanne!!!

I love all animals, but these Doves make the most beautiful sound, even my Lab, OREO, lays by the window when they are "singing"!!

Will post later what I accomplished yesterday in my sewing room...maybe I could sketch a Mourning Dove for a Quilt, now there's an idea!!

Oh, their names? Almost forgot...definately ...drumroll now......for the male, BLACKHAWK and for the female, CORNSTALK, because after all Mourning Doves are named for the Native Americans (although Fred and Wilma were a close second) he-he!!

Hugs to all,

Mary

SPRING BREAK???

Hi all you bloggers,

This week is spring break for my kids and right now outside my window it is snowing!!?!?!?!?!?!?
Can you believe that!! Don't get me wrong, I love snow at the right time of year, but Easter break, come on now!!!! There is a bright side to all of this icky weather, my two love birds (don't know what kind they are) have taken up residence again this year on my deck. They only come when the season changes to spring and then they stick around until fall. They are not even that pretty, but they make the most beautiful sound, so here they are yesterday... You have to look really closely as they blend in with deck, but you can atleast see one and the other one is little to right of that one.

I haven't named them yet...am thinking of doing so, as they literally fly around the outside of my house making this beautiful sound....okay maybe I really do need to get out more or maybe get a LIFE! But somedays I just like to watch these two. What would I name them anyway (I can't believe I am thinking of naming two birds...WOW getting scared now!?!?!!??!

Well, I better get back to all my Domestic Goddess things I have to do...Cook dinner and sort through laundry.

Hey, if you think of two bird names let me know...

Hugs,

Mary

SATURDAY...HAPPY PRE-EASTER EVERYONE!

Hi All,

Happy Easter a day early, since I am going to my sister's tomorrow, I thought I better post today. Am getting some sewing done today on some unfinished projects. Then it's off to take our 3 teens out to dinner for a pre-easter celebration!!! Gotta Love Easter!!!

It's a little weird this year, though, since they are all in their late teens, they are not expecting big baskets like before...NOW, they want bigger things, which of course is impossible, soooo am putting together candy baskets for each one of them and I think they are going to think they are a little lame. I loved Easter when they were little...the easter egg hunts at the park district and then the hiding of the eggs that night and ofcourse, Easter Baskets!! There was always sooo much preparation done the night before with baths, and hair-rollers and getting to bed early so that they wouldn't run into the Easter Bunny! Now, it is just Different...my kids are growing up...but I am still going to create delicious Easter Baskets (I think it is more for me than them, but oh well).

Being a Mom/Domestic Goddess/Can I borrow $20.00/Alarm Clock/Overseer of ALL Laundry can be a little lonely at times...but I do have my memories of when my three were little...oh What Memories They Are!! Those I will cherish!!

With that..Happy Easter and God Bless,

Hugs,

Mary

GOTTA LOVE OWLS!!

Hi All,

Bought this fabric of Owls, "On a Whim" designed by Amy Schimle for Robert Kaufman, is it too Cute or What?

Now what do I make with it is the Question? I just LOVE this fabric!!!! Have been racking my brain with what to do with it! I can see using it in a block, but can't seem to figure out what block I want to use?!?!!?

Just signed up for a Spring Swap through Pat Sloan's Yahoo Group! Am excited on seeing who I get and what their colors and favorite things are so I can start planning...

I have so much sewing to do and am hoping this weekend (even though it is Easter) I will get something accomplished...Fri night and Sat afternoon, so far, look good, so am keeping my fingers crossed!

Oh and what about this weather? Here in the great state of Illinois, we have a winter storm watch out for this evening, isn't that Great! Expecting 1-6 inches of the white stuff, so instead of Easter Shoes it will be Easter Boots to wear! Maybe weatherman is wrong, because it is sunny and 50 degrees right now!

This morning I took a picture of a bird (actually there are two, but only one showed up) on my deck. Every spring these two birds have been coming since 1997, isn't that weird. They make the most lovely sound, kinda like an owl. I don't know what kind of bird they are, but I like to think of them as doves(you know Love Birds). The other day I left bread out for them, but Oreo, my courageous (not) lab, found the bread on the deck and well, he consumed whatever I put out there! So will try again today. Anyway, these two birds show up in Spring and last all the way through Fall, wish I knew what kind they were, but I did get a pic of one of them this morning.

Also took a picture of THE mosting amazing sight...smoke coming off my deck this morning. Yes, I was doing laundry and the dryer was on, so that was the reason behind the smoke, but thought it looked to cool to pass up the opportunity to take a picture! Now all my neighbors know that I, domestic goddess that I am, was doing laundry this a.m. YEAH!!!!

I do have another goddess in training (my 15 yr old) who came home from the mall last weekend with this lovely tiara on her head. They were giving them out free at the mall and well, you guessed it, had to grab camera and take a pic of her!

You might as well know, I am also obsessed with taking pictures! Now that I have gone digital and all!!

Well, that's it and if anyone of you gals have any ideas for that Owl Fabric, leave me a comment, I might just have a little give away for ya!!!

Hugs,

Mary

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!!

Hi all! Happy St. Patrick's Day to all of you who are IRISH!! This past weekend was soooooo much fun! I participated in the Pat Sloan Quilting Retreat and WOW actually got a lot accomplished! It's funny how an on-line Retreat makes you want to complete projects so that you can post pics. I worked on a wallhanging that has been partially done for a couple of months. It is called Saffron Hill by Sue Spargo. It is machine pieced, then hand appliqued, then machine appliqued, it really was a project that used so many different skills, one part is even paper-pieced (the flag roof). It is almost done, just needs the finishing touches and then I will post a pic!

I also worked on Cottage Blooms...it was a swap done through Pat Sloan, and I didn't like the background of greens, so switched it to yellows and creams...I like it much better now. I just got the blocks done, not sewn together so will post a pic of that later too!

Then at night I worked on Leanne's House, because it was hand stitching and I could do that in front of TV. (Oh saw the movie, "August Rush", GREAT Video! It's a tear jerker, even hubby cried, so you know it was good!)

My 20 year old came home Fri night and claimed my Owl Wallhanging for her apartment at school. She wants me to make another one with different colors (using opposite fabric that I used in the original), so she can hang both of them up, so that is next on the list! Thank you, Diane, Amanda, Karen and Selma for your very kind comments re my own wallhanging! You made my day!! I just love being a Sloanie!

Well, back to sewing...and laundry...and cleaning!!!

Mary

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2008

Today I finished the top of my Owl Wallhanging! I don't know why but I am obsessed with OWLS! I still have to finish back of wallhanging and then machine quilt it, but I think it turned out cute! I have never actually sketched out a pattern before, so this was a first for me.

This weekend, Pat Sloan at Yahoo is having a sewing weekend! Am excited for that and am going to try to get some UFO's finished!

Well, off to bake a Meat Loaf, sounds exciting right? Oh the life of a Domestic Goddess!!!!

Have a great week Ladies,

Mary

FUNKY FABRICS!!!

Picked out some new "fun, funky fabrics" for my "owl" theme card! Then sketched Owl's on Branches! What do you think?

FLU BUG HAS BITTEN!!!!!

Yes, it is true! Myself and teenager daughter have been sick with the flu for the last several days! Coughing, Coughing, Coughing and yes, more coughing!!!!!!!

Hubby and Son and Oldest Daughter and Friends are going to the Chicago BlackHawk's Hockey Game today and Emily and I were supposed to be among them, but due to the "coughing", did I say we can't stop "coughing"?!?!?we didn't go! So....I should be in sewing room finishing up some things and starting on others, but here I sit at computer! Did I tell you I am sick? Oh, yeah, right the coughing thing...well was at the local Walgreens and picked up this adorable card! You can just imagine why I was at the drugstore (coughing thing, remember), and anyway, I think "Owls" are the NEW THING, because I keep seeing them everywhere...on fabric, cards, paper...you get the picture...so I thought, maybe I could sketch this picture and make into an adorable wallhanging! Sounds like a plan!! OK, now to post picture so you can see it...

Also, if you have been following my previous posts, Oreo (my black lab) is doing much better!! Surgery went well on his paw, all the tests came back negative - GREAT NEWS! Only problem is still trying to get him to go out with baggy on his paw, so that bandage does not get wet...will post pictures of my "Baggy Dog" so you can see he is NOT very happy with me.

And, MOM LOVED HER QUILT!! It has been delivered to her and she has it at the foot of her bed, so when she takes a nap, she can pull it up over her and be snuggled in by my Aunt Lois!!

No new adventures on horseback because....you got it right - the "coughing thing"!!!

Take Care to all of you in Blog Land (can you tell I have been in the house way to long!?!?!!?!?)

Hugs,

Mary

"OREO, WHAT IS SHE DOING TO ME"??!?!?!?!

Oreo had surgery yesterday on his left paw and am Happy to report, he is HOME!!! He does not like, however, the white sock I had to place over his paw, so that, he will not eat his bandage off! And then, I was told by Vet that when he has to go outside, I have to place a Plastic Baggy on his paw to keep dry!?!?!? Tried that, well, let's just say he tore it off before he got out of house, so now we are going through Socks!! Each time he goes out, old sock comes off and new, dry sock is placed on!! He is such a trooper! He just kind of looks at me with those big brown eyes, lays down and lets me keep putting socks on his left paw, probably thinking, "what in the world is she doing to me now"!?!!?!? Wouldn't you love to know what dogs think? Maybe, Oreo is thinking I am trying to teach him how to skate on one paw across our wood floor or maybe, he thinks I am trying to dress him up...I don't know, what I do know is that he just licks my hand everytime I place a new, dry sock on him and then ofcourse he gets a special treat! Oh, the life of my dog, Oreo!

What would call this Quilt?

Having finished a quilt I made for my Mom, which was by far the hardest quilt I have ever made, I laid it out to take pictures of, and it dawned on me there is sooo much meaning in this quilt. At first glance, you notice (well, really it kind of slaps you in the face) that the fabrics do not match. In fact, they are actually fighting against one another!

At first, you might think, how can she ever give this to her Mom! Let me explain...

My Mom, had only one sibling, a Sister, named Lois. My Aunt Lois had a vivacious personality. Bubbly would be a word I would use to explain her. She loved to sew...from clothing, to draperies, to covers for her couch. She had an "eye" for color and detail. She never used a pattern (which I thought was so genius), she would just look at something either in a magazine or store and then go home and replicate it and I mean, replicate it! She was truly an artist. She also painted, and once even needlepointed a cushion for a chair, which was undeniably "spectacular"! She never questioned or painstakingly pondered whether one fabric would go with other, she just knew (the color wheel was imprinted in her brain, I believe) and then she would create...so, after she died I wanted to make my Mom something out of all the beautiful fabric she called clothes. The result was a quilt.

She loved Pineapples on her door to make sure everyone felt WELCOME, therefore, you will see a pineapple made out of material she used as a chair covering. She was an ardent gardener, so a lot of her summer clothes were made with fabric that had, ofcourse, flowers on them. So you will find a daisy print used in some of the borders. You will also see an Iris print that she purchased before she became ill, which I don't know what she would have used it for, so that is the back of the quilt and the binding. In later years, my Aunt along with my Uncle were "Snow Birds", you know winters where in Fla and summers where spent in Long Beach Island, New Jersey where they had a summer home. Those summers, my sisters and parents would visit and stay and they are packed with the most wonderful and beautiful memories that I will always cherish. That is why there is a Lighthouse on one block, but it is not just any "old Lighthouse", this one is special because she painted that yellow bird on another piece of fabric, which I cut out and hand-sewed to the block, flying above, watching over the Lighthouse. There are some blocks where I just hand-sewed sayings I thought would help my Mom cope with the grieving process...they read, "Sometimes you know an Angel only by the Miracles she leaves blossoming in her path after she is gone", and "Angels live among us...they just hide their wings" and ofcourse, "In Loving Memory of Lois J. Budash". There is one block, using the daisy fabric again of a Heart that is broken, but sewn together by a piece of lace (my aunt always used lace to hem her skirts) and by using her lace, I thought it might tell my Mom, "I'm Ok, I'm out of pain now and that I miss you too". The last block I thought of was a hand(my Mom's) at the bottom of the quilt holding a heart and then if you trace this heart up towards the Pineapple there is another Heart...waiting...being caught by an Angel, my Aunt Lois.

So, yes the plaids don't match, the colors are off, but the meaning is there. Life isn't always pretty, it doesn't always go the way you want it, but always on the top (sometimes we have a hard time seeing) there are love ones that make the trip, oh, SOOOO BEAUTIFUL!

Dedicated to my Aunt Lois who was always a ray of sunshine in my Life and
Dedicated to My Mom, who is my Life!!

Mary

CABIN FEVER INSANITY....

Yes, it is true, I definitely have Cabin Fever Insanity...One of the groups I belong to is Pat Sloan Quilt Group on Yahoo and Pat has challenged us to make a log cabin throw or table runner to "bust out" of the cabin fever insanity....HOWEVER, can I add one more project to my many lists of things to get finished??????!!!!?!?

This week I did a lot of straightening and cleaning my sewing room...found underneath the rubble even MORE projects that have been started by me and then left uncompleted, YIKES!!! Didn't know I had so many and even forgot about others!!! HOW can this happen???!!?!!?!? Easy, I have determined I LOVE TO START new projects but HATE to finish!! OK so now I have to find a way to FINISH!!!?!?!? So....this is what I plan to do. MAKE A LIST of the most pressing projects I want to finish. First on the list is a quilt I made for my Mom, using only the material from her sister's (who is deceased) clothing. My Aunt, (Mom's sister) was an ardent sewer, who loved to create clothes without patterns. She was the kind of sewer who could just look at an outfit or dress and then go home and replicate it!! She was amazing! So, when she died, I asked her daughter (my cousin) if I could have some of her outfits that she designed and I would use them in a quilt for my Mom. My Mom only had one sister, one sibling that is, so I know she will really love this quilt, as it is part of my Aunt (at least the creative side). The quilt is pieced, quilted and now all I have to do is the binding, so will complete that this weekend.

Next on my list is to keep up with "Leanne's House"...then a quilt I made for my youngest, which is pieced and quilted but needs prairie points added as border and then to add binding! After that, I will move on to a project I started 5-6 yrs ago from Country Threads. It was a BOM which has a garden theme.

The problem lies with the fact that I REALLY WANT TO START THIS LOG CABIN QUILT, I eyed by Pat Sloan called "Sweet Stripes" in the Feb 03' American Patchwork & Quilting Magazine (I will take a pic and post) - this would make such a great quilt for a soldier, I think! And I think could be put together fast using red/white theme! OH, HERE I GO AGAIN!!
I also, want to start the Wedding Quilt blocks, that I just love in another on-line quilt group!
Maybe, I should have renamed this entry instead of "Cabin Fever Insanity", "The Trials and Frustrations of a Quilter"! I think that would have more suitable for me!

Also, keeping you posted on my horseback riding adventures... am posting a picture of "Americana", who took me for another spirited ride for an hour on Saturday. Remember she is half/thoroughbred, half/quarter horse! We trotted, galloped and cantered, English style, fun, fun, fun!!

Quote for the day..."Creativity is really the structuring of magic" by Anne Kent Rush
and
"The imagination needs moodling, --long, inefficient, happy idling, dawdling and puttering" by Brenda Ueland.

OH, CHECK OUT THIS WEBSITE, REALLY COOL! http://www.thepioneerwoman.com
(Too cute!!)

Stay warm, safe and happy,

Mary

IT'S SUNDAY AND FREEZING!!!!! FEB 10, 2008

Hello friends,

It is Sunday and below zero in Illinois! Brrrr.... Woke up this morning and temp was -3 degrees (not including wind-chill) ! Monday, weather is calling for 2-3 in of more snow! Okay, Winter is beginning to get a little "old" now. Keep thinking every cold day is one more day closer to spring/summer - YEAH! Even, Oreo, my black lab doesn't want to go out -too cold for his paws.

So what am I working on, you ask? Well, it seems everyday I keep adding more and more projects to my UFO list(s). I keep seeing more and more adorable projects that I want to start, but I HAVE TO FINISH what I am currently working on. Which is? Bloomin' Rose Blocks, Leanne's House, Mini Blocks 1-3 and then 2-3 stitcheries I have started!! When am I going to find the time to do this? Maybe I could stretch the time during the day to be a little longer...if I find a way, I will let you know my secret:) Actually, nights are a great time for stitchery while watching TV and mornings are another great time (before everyone gets up) to work at my sewing machine - love that sweet sound of a humming sewing machine! Sooo much to do!

Just finished a really great book, too! "Choosen by a Horse" by Susan Richards - what a great read, especially if you love horses. Speaking of horses, rode "Americana" yesterday. She is half quarter horse, half thoroughbred, Chestnut and WOW can she move! "Americana" had me Cantoring yesterday, OH WHAT FUN! I love to ride her with an English Saddle, she is young and loves to fly me around her indoor riding ring. Her gallop is a little bouncy, but am learning how to direct her using my legs with pressure. I can't even wear my spurs on her, because she just needs a vocal command and off we go! What a pleasure to ride her, she is such a Gentle Giant of a Horse and so, so Beautiful. I feel so privileged to be sitting on her with her mane flying free! A Sweet Piece of Heaven, that is what I whisper in her ear (I think she really likes that name because she nuzzles her large nose into my shoulder) whenever I say that to her. Carrots help to!!

Better get back to sewing, oh and Laundry too!

"too often we under estimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." --Leo Buscaglia